Cheese Please!

Usually while dining, the term “cheesy” refers to calorie bomb, most often in the form of a creamy, gooey,  or melted.  Though delicious, this cheese is usually accompanied with something being fried (MozzSticks), smothered (Enchiladas), or creamy (Alfredo). 

Now cheese isn’t bad but there is a good and bad way to eat it.

CheeseStick – Good: Go for lowfat and have it with some almonds or an apple as an afternoon snack.  I love Sargento because they even make flavored sticks like Pepper Jack & White Cheddar to switch it up.

Feta- Good: Enjoy it on a salad.  The harder the cheese the better it is for you, honestly. Atheno is  my personal favorite, even the reduced-fat version is amazing. Sprinkle it on salads and wraps.

Alfredo – Bad: It not only involves cheese but cream as well which is code for fat.

Queso – Bad: Not only is it creamy, gooey, and melted but it comes with a side salty chips.  And you no, once you start you can’t stop.

If you really want cheese in your diet – try shredded cheese, a little goes a long ways and make it the reduced-fat or part-skim version.  Cabot makes a great 50% fat free cheese in a variety of flavors.  Need blue cheese, swiss cheese, Mexican cheese, or an herby cheese?  Try Laughing Cow wedges.  They’re 35 calories and low in fat.  I’ve used them for quesadillas, buffalo wraps, alfredo sauces, and even just plain ol’ cheese & cracker snacks.  This company is also the maker of the famous mini Babybel cheese rounds.  Those are good in moderation as well – like a cheese stick type snack.

This being said, the king of cheese, at least in my opinion, is Goat Cheese aka Chevre. It’s French.  It’s fancy.  It’s creamy.  It’s decadent. It’s full of flavor.  It usually have 70-80 calories per ounce and around 6g of fat. Totally reasonable for cheese.  Plus they make all types – spreadable logs, crumbles, and even cream cheese, I have a Fig flavor that’s great on bagel thins.

The below recipe is my ode to Chevre.  Healthified of course!  Often times while dining out, I’m drawn to a specific goat cheese salad, the encrusted goat cheese medallion salad that I often find on restaurant menus.  However, I’ve never ordered it for I know the truth about this salad.  This once healthy salad is destroyed in a restaurant kitchen with a dip in the fryer resulting in oil soaked cheese rounds.

So here’s my version at home version that’s quick and healthy.

Encrusted Goat Cheese Medallion Salad with Grapefruit Balsamic

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

3 tablespoons whole almonds, finely chopped in a food processor

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons egg whites or 1 egg white

1-4oz log of Chevre cut into 6 rounds

1 grapefruit (3/4 sections with skins removed, 1/4 used for juicing)

Spring mix (3-4 cups or desired salad size)

1/4 cucumber, diced

handful of berries of choice, as garnish

additional almonds, coarsely chopped, as garnish

Dressing:

3 tablespoons fresh squeezed grapefruit juice (about 1 quarter of the fruit)

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 – 2 teaspoons agave nectar or honey

Directions:

In a bowl mix breadcrumbs, almonds, salt, pepper and basil.
In a 2nd bowl, place flour.
In a 3rd bowl place egg whites.

Next, cut your goat cheese rounds. If you have trouble cutting the rounds, warm the knife under hot running water to make the cut a bit easier, then mold and flatten to get your desired round shape.

Take 4 of the 6 goat cheese rounds and dip the rounds in the flour then egg whites, then panko-almond mixture.  You might need to press the crumb mixture into the grounds.  Set aside. (Use your extra 2 rounds on a wrap later on)

Next make the balsamic dressing.
Heat balsamic vinegar over low heat on stove.  Squeeze in 3 tablespoons of grapefruit juice (roughly a quarter of a grapefruit).  Once warmed, stir in agave nectar or honey.  Taste for desired sweetness.  It should be sweet-tangy.  Set aside.

Next, assemble the salads so they’re prepared when medallions are done cooking.  Compile spring mix, cucumbers, grapefruit sections, berries, and roughly chopped almonds.

Finally, heavily spray a pan with olive oil (I use Pam Olive Oil).  Heat on medium high and place medallions into pan.  Cook 2-3 minutes per side until a brown and golden crust forms.   Before flipping, spray the uncooked, top side with olive oil (3-4 second spray per round) and gently flip.  Allow to cook until also golden and crispy. (You may need to re-spray pan if it looks a tad dry).

Before the flip.

You don’t need a complete crust on the outside. Just a good covering.

Once medallions are cooked and warmed through center, place on paper towel to soak up excess oil. Let stand 1 minute then place a top salads, drizzle with dressing and serve.

 

My berry of choice was blackberry.

Let me know if you like it/try it.  And I’ll try and make a separate link in time for a printable version without pictures…just in case!

Tags: chevre, grapefruit, salad

Mostly Plants….

Here’s an email I sent someone months back about overhauling their diet.  This is a great basis for revamping your eating habits and its tailored for meat eaters and vegetarians alike….It throws in breakfast suggestions, substitutions, and even a bit on exercise. Again, this is all based on my own personal experience and what I found works best.

 

Okay the subject line is a quote from a book by Michael Pollan, but it’s seriously a good rule to live by.  Remember this whenever you eat.

Sooo here’s some eating tips/meal ideas

Breakfast:  Choose one of these meals, but always try and have a glass of water when you wake up/before you eat.  Also, I pair my breakfast with coffee and a tablespoon of coffee mate creamer.  During the week, I eat breakfast between 9-10 but as soon as I wake up I’ll have water or tea, and a couple berries to hold me over until I get to work to have breakfast.  At work I have coffee at like 10:30.  On weekends, I have coffee at like 7:30 and breakfast at like 8:30 or 9.  If you don’t drink coffee then go for tea or light juice. They have that Tropicana OJ with only 50 calories per cup!

1/3 cup uncooked oatmeal, made with water and 1/2cup skim milk. Throw in a sliced up banana with cinnamon and a bit of sweetener (I used splenda or sugar free maple syrup but you can use regular sugar or brown sugar).  I also ALWAYS eat my oatmeal with ¼ cup of Fiber 1 Original on top.  It adds extra protein and protein fills you up.  The key to making this small bit of oatmeal into a lot of oatmeal is to continually add water and microwave it until it soaks it all up.  You can get a huge filling bowl this way.

Make scrambled eggs in the microwave.  Beat 2 eggs in a bowl, microwave for 45 seconds, take them out, stir them around and microwave for another 30 seconds.  You can add as many vegetables into the scrambled eggs as you want.  Or fat free cheese!  And eat it with toast and jelly.  Skip the butter on the toast.

Smoothie – This is where you need some protein powder, use about 2 scoops.  I use Muscle Milk Light – any flavor.  Mix the powder with ½ cup skim milk, a banana, maybe ¼ cup of non fat yogurt, and whatever fruits or berries you might have.  Just experiment a bit until you find a combo you like.  I usually have to throw some splenda into my smoothie though because I like them to be sweet.  Eat that with a ½ cup of Fiber 1 or Cheerios or Special K cereal to hold you over.

You can also do the Bagel thins if you like bagels with low fat cream cheese.  I do low fat cream cheese then cut up veggies to mix it with or strawberries sliced on top of the bagel.  These are awesome and have them with a light yogurt.

Another quick easy breakfast – Slice of whole grain toast (about 100-120 calories per slice), put some peanut butter or almond butter on it, slice up a banana, and sprinkle cinnamon on top.  Eat the rest of the banana on the side.  Quick easy filling and it gets you all your protein and fiber too.

Morning Snack:  Have a snack mid morning…I usually eat breakfast at 830, eat a snack around 10 or 10:30 and have lunch between 1 and 2.  Also, drink something with your snack.  It’s important to drink a lot.  The packets you can mix with water are awesome if you hate plain water.  Just make sure the calories aren’t too bad (no more than like 10 calories per packet).  Tea is also great because if you crave sweets, you can add some milk and truvia for a great mid-morning sweet treat.  I’m a tea addict now a days.  Try www.adaiago.com

Greek yogurt is awesome – lots of protein to keep you full and I like to mix plain greek with jam.  You’re looking for greek yogurt to have about 130 calories or less per serving and at least 15g of protein. Stay away from the flavored kind and you’ll clock in at less than 100 calories with a great protein boost.

Yoplait Light yogurt is great too.

Eat a fruit, melon (melon’s awesome = mostly water and it fills you up).

Lunch: Again, this should also have some sort of drink with it.  Unsweetened iced tea with lemon, water, diet coke if you’re a soda addict, some sort of liquid to fill you up.

I do the lean cuisines a lot.  So pick one you like, throw some extra vegetables into it so it’s more filling or add a small salad to it.  Eating just a plain lean cuisine will not seem filling and you’ll be hungry in an hour.  You need to add things to it.

I also take leftovers from dinner the night before for lunch.  Again, I add extra vegetables or take some carrots and hummus on the side.

Salads are a big go-to lunch for me.  You can make these as big as you want.  Think of fruits and vegetables (as long as they’re raw or cooked with out oil/butter) to be calorie free foods!  I always add lots of variety to my salads.  If you like cheese on your salad, go for feta.  Its flavorful and one of the few cheeses that isn’t bad for you.  Go for light dressing – and measure it out.  Seriously, the serving size is 2 tablespoons.  Measure out and mix up your salad.  You’ll be surprised by how much dressing that really is.  I also eat my salads with baked pita chips or reduced fat wheat thins.

Soups are also good here. The brothy kind, not creamy.  Eat the whole can!  Throw in extra vegetables too.  Eat it with crackers or something crunchy and a small salad.  You want your soup to have 90-120 calories per serving – that’s about 200 per can which is totally fine for lunch.

 

Afternoon Snack:  Have a granola bar.  I like Special K, LaraBars, Luna Bars, whatever you like.  Eat a piece of fruit.  Go for veggies and hummus.  Light yogurt.  Or get a small smoothie somewhere.  You’re looking for a snack that’s between 100-200 calories.  Mixed nuts are good but follow the serving size.  Sometimes my afternoon snack is a “special drink” like something from Starbucks, as long as it’s the light version, or whatever I  might be craving.  This is my healthy “treat.”

Dinner: Baked chicken with BBQ sauce, brown rice (1/2 cup uncooked) mixed with some store bought stir fry sauce or sprinkled with parmesan cheese and garlic powder with a side of mixed vegetables or a salad again. Have steamed or baked fish if you don’t want chicken.  Also, when cooking meat on your own, add lots of spices.  You can fink McCormick spice mixes at the grocery store.  Sprinkle them on meat and vegetables.  Spices add flavor.  If something is flavorful, it’ll taste good.

Eat sushi, just stay away from mayo or the fried stuff. Pair it with miso soup or edamame or seaweed salad.

Salad with grilled meat &  dressing on the side.  Do the whole, dip your fork in the dressing then grab some salad.

Try eating veggie burgers. Honestly, you can get mixed vegetable kinds that are good.  Serve it like you would a regular burger, use fat free cheese.

Honestly, dinner’s whatever you’d normally have.  Just make it healthy.  Bake the meat instead of cooking in oil or frying.  Choose steamed vegetables.   Check out this website www.hungrygirl.com  She offers a ton of recipes that are healthy that taste full flavored.  Some need special ingredients, but I promise they’re worth it.  Cooking her recipes are easy and they involve meat.  But seriously, check out her site. I own all her cookbooks and I really love them.  Even though they seem a bit cartoonish.

If you’re out to eat, ask them to make the vegetables without oil or seasoning then just add salt and pepper to them at the table.  Tell them to cook your meat without a lot of oil.  Ask for dressing or sauces on the side that way you can control the amount.  It sounds demanding, but trust me, they’ll make your food the way you want them to.  Just be nice about it!   Also, before you eat, have a glass of water. Just gulp it down to fill you up.  And pay attention to your stomach so you can tell when you’re really full or not.

Treats: I love frozen cool whip in a bowl with chocolate chips or sugar free chocolate syrup and strawberries.  Make another smoothie if you want.  Just make it smaller.

Have 1 graham cracker with peanut butter and chocolate chips on top.

Make Swiss Miss diet hot chocolate with cool whip on top.

Try frozen yogurt with nuts.

Your “treat” should be about 120-180 calories tops.

Alcohol: Go for light beer if you drink beer.  Go for “skinny” cocktails if the restaurant offers them.  Stay away from margaritas and pina coladas.  Drink SODA WATER with flavored vodka and squeeze an orange or lime or lemon in it or if you really need a mixer, ask for soda water, flavored vodka of your choice and a SPLASH of OJ, cranberry juice, tea….  Go for wine – 2 glasses max.  And drink water with your alcohol.  Also – clear alcohol has less calories than the colored stuff.  So say no to rum, whiskey, and that horrible  UV vodka with the crazy colors.  More expensive clear alcohol tastes better and it has a higher percentage of actual alcohol, so you’ll still get the buzz without having to buy extra drinks.

Exercise:  Aim for 5-6 days a week of exercise.  Here’s my plan…

3 days a week of 1 hour cardio with abs.  I do a full hour on the machines, switching the machines every 20 mins so I don’t get bored.  Also take cardio classes if you don’t like the machines – kickboxing, spin, step, zumba (which is actually fun).  And if you want some cardio workouts, I can give you some of mine too.  I have a treadmill walking workout that burns tons of calories.

2 days a week I do Body Pump with a half hour of cardio or at least some kind of strength training.  Currently I’m on a Pure Barre kick and have noticed a great difference in my body – more on that in a future post.

2 days off a week – or I might take an early morning walk (no more than 30 mins) or a short easy 30 min bike ride.  Or a yoga class.  It’s great for core and ab muscles, it stretches and relaxes you.  I like the heated classes personally.  But you should try a bunch to find the ones you like.  I usually try and fit in as much exercise as I can while still listening to my body.  Even if you don’t want to work out, get your butt to the gym, do cardio for 10 mins then ask yourself if you really want to go home.  Chances are, you’ll probably finish your work out even if it’s half ass-ed.  The point is, you did it and you’ll feel better about yourself.  Also, it takes about 2 weeks for a habit to form – so in that amount of time you should be come used to getting to the gym or exercising regularly.

 

So that’s my life style over view – take my tips and bend them as you may to create a healthy lifestyle that works for you.  And in the future, add my recipes and other tips and tricks and I’m sure you’ll find the balance you need to feel satisfied with food, exercise, and your appearance. Just remember – plants!

Tags: diet, exercise, food, health living, Michael Pollan

Healthified

Healthified: The act of taking a healthy recipe
and making it even healthier.

It’s a well known fact that I’m a healthier eater – a healthier eater that likes GOOD food and sweets.  In fact, at times I could most definitely pass up a real meal in place of a dessert buffet.

Yes, I’m a vegetarian, technically a pescatarian, yet very few know the definition of this word.

Pescatarian: Used to define those who abstain from eating all animal flesh with the exception of sea-based creatures.

It seems to be that my pescatarian-ism has become less and less a part of my regular diet, usually only coming into play when I am out to dinner and a scrumptious, reasonably priced salmon dish screams out to me.

As a result of my continuous broadcast about healthy eating, a few friends both near and far, have requested an assortment of my healthy recipes.  After giving it some thought I believed might be easiest if I list the recipes here on my blog that I myself have taste tested and approved and also throw in some healthy lifestyle tips and tricks I use.

Some of these recipes are modifications of recipes I have found on other blogs, magazines, or cookbooks and I promise to  give credit where credit is due when I post these recipes but please know, a lot of the recipes I’ll post were used as a base for inspiration, which were then healthified.

I plan to post recipes for breakfasts, lunch, dinners, and of course sweets. For most recipes, I’ll include nutritional information for reference.  I’ll also add in some information about transitioning to a healthier diet without deny yourself completely of all the good food in life.  I love wine, chocolate, and crave the comfort foods of my Mom’s kitchen.  I’ll also be sure to post modifications or substitutes for every day foods and how to navigate social outings and restaurants to stick to the healthy eating mantra. I feel that I myself have weeded through the majority of healthy living articles published to now know the best recipes, foods, and tips, so hopefully this will be a compilation of what I’ve discovered.

Lastly, as I said, I am vegetarian so these recipes will be vegetarian.  This does not mean they can’t be made with meat – simply substitute cooked chicken, shrimp, or ground turkey where you see fit (I’ll also try to note substitutions).  Just remember, these changes will effect the nutrition of the recipe.  I may also use ingredients, spices or herbs that are foreign to you – these ingredients key and are used because of the nutritional value and added taste element.  The key to making good-tasting, healthy food is flavor – leaving out these spices will greatly effect your likelihood of enjoying the recipes.

To start things off, tomorrow I’ll post an overview that I had sent someone last year who had wanted to clean up their diet.  It goes over meal options, how to eat, and even some exercise ideas.

And, if you have any specific requests for a healthified recipe, please let me know because it’s more than likely that I have one.

Tags: food, healthy living, recipes

I Finished Early!

So I was on a 3 day juice fast and I did so well, I finished early!

Hahaha. Kidding!

Actually, I stopped the cleans on the third day because the thought of putting that red or green juice to my lips literally made me want to vomit.

I could not even swallow it at the end of day two.

In fact, during day two, every time I had drink the juice I was unable to finish the bottle and my final bottle of red juice on day 2, I actually ended up throwing out.

I did actually enjoy the cashew milk and I’ve been sipping on that the past few days, using it on cereal and in my oatmeal. Yummy!

So honestly, I don’t consider my self a quitter because I feel like quitting results from being too hungry or not being able to stand the effects of the cleanse where as I finished early due to the repulsive nature of the juices.

Anyways, here’s my opinion of the cleanse

1) I was never hungry.  In fact, I felt like I was just constantly drinking and actually had to force my self to drink the liquids towards the end of the days.

2) I temporarily lost 4 pounds in 2 days and have gained 2 pounds back so far.

3) My stomach definitely shrunk – I can’t eat as much as I used to before the cleanse but I’m sure that will change in time.

4) It taught me that I can control my sugar cravings and to just say no. As a result, I plan to limit the amount of added sugar in my diet.

5) I felt no caffeine withdrawal symptoms, but I do plan to cut back two 1 cup a day.

6) I used to eat large amounts of roughage or dairy and would have digestive issues – so far I’ve had two vegetable heavy meals with no stomach aches.

7) On the day after the cleanse my head felt “clearer.”  I was able to concentrate better at work and felt more productive. I also had a bit of an energy boost – surprising because the 2nd night of the cleanse I was awoke at 3am and fiddled around ‘til morning – my waking was not a result of hunger pains or any of the likings, I just plain couldn’t sleep.

8) On the day before the cleanse I felt a cold coming on, and it was a bit stronger on the 2nd day, but on the day after I “finished” my cleanse, all cold symptoms were gone and I can officially say I did not get a cold. I truly believe this was because of all the micronutrients I had pumping through my blood thanks to the juices.

So overall, I can’t find anything negative to say about the cleanse and it will probably be something I do again at some point, though I might search out a different version.

Now my only issue is…what to do with that leftover juice, it’s good through the 10th!

Tags: cleanse, detox, juice

1 Juice, 2 Juice, Red Juice….

Yesterday was the first day on the cleanse…

This was how my morning went …

6:30am Wake Up and think to my self “You’re not hungry, you’re not hungry….damnit I’m HUNGRY! Well, I can’t eat at 6:30 because that’s just way too early for breakfast and I haven’t even picked up the juice yet! Gotta wait til at least 8am.”

8:00am Pick up Juice and think “Got my juice! This is gonna be fun, man I hope the green juice tastes like the Wegmans Green Glory because that’s my favoirte!”

8:30am: First green juice down the hatch… “That does NOT taste like Wegmans…a bit too grassy but I know it’s good for me, I’ll drink it”

Then around 9:30am I had some hot water with lemon in it…

11:00am Red Juice Time! “Man I love beets but I hate beet-carrot juice…just drink it, drink your vitamins”

11:30am: This is where the effects of NOT eating kick in..or maybe it’s the overload of micronutrients because my head feels a little foggy and tight and my eye sights a bit patchy when I first standup…But it eventually passes

1:30pm Another green juice!  Chug chug chug!

3:30pm Cayenne Pepper Lemonade “Whoa! This stuff is good, I don’t mind it at all!”  It tastes like a kicked-up lemonade and not that spicy at all.

4:15pm: Revise my last statement, that Cayenne Lemonade is good til I get to to the end where all the cayenne fell.

After work, I hit the gym for some light walking on the treadmill, since I’m not supposed to be exercising on the cleanse.

6:30pm: Another red juice! “God I really hate red juice”

8:30pm : Cashew milk time! “OMG. This tastes like a melted smoothie, a bit cinnamony, sweet, creamy” LOVE IT!

- Does anyone know how to milk a cashew?  Whenever I think of any kind of nut milk I picture someone literally milking a nut……(Don’t worry, I know you don’t actually milk a nut)

So day one evaluation: I didn’t mind it, wasn’t really that hungry at all but boy was I moody and the rage struck right around 5pm.  It was the, don’t get in my way, don’t even look at me the wrong way type of rage.  I was also a bit emotional all day but other that that I didn’t feel all that different and it wasn’t all that bad.  Hopefully things will continue looking up for me!  Other than that, my body isn’t feeling any different yet.

Tags: cleanse, detox, juice

Juicing

And no, I don’t mean hittin’ the ‘roids.

I mean THIS kind of juicing…

Fresh veggie and fruit juice kind of juicing. Beet juice. Carrot juice. Kale juice. Pear juice….Kind of juicing. Juice for 3 days straight kind of juicing.

BUT WHY?!  You may ask? Well because I’m hoping to clean out my system and give it a good ol’ reboot and hopefully curb some of my cravings.

So here’s the plan: 6 drinks a day, 1 every 2 hours,  for 3 days – no solid food – just water in between. If you want more details check this out – it’s where I got my juice and details the drinks a bit more.  There’s also a detox blend thrown it (a take on the Master Cleanse) which has lemon, water, cayenne pepper, and cane syrup.  At night there’s a cashew milk to drink  which helps with satiety in order to sleep without hunger pangs.

Now what do I expect to get out of this?  Well, I hope to cleanse by body of all the toxins that I put in.  Yes, we all know, I’m a healthy eater but I’ve diverged a tad the past few months with sugar, (cookies, ice cream, and chocolate became a nightly dessert requirement) caffeine (1-2 cups a day somehow became enough coffee to equal 2 or 3 Starbucks Trentas – the café SUPERSIZE), and alcohol (a true lush, a wine-o, margarita lovin’, craft beer sippin’ regular).

On top of all that, I’ve been having horrible digestion issues that I can’t seem to find a trigger for.  It’s a hot burning sensation in my stomach with striking pains that come and go, lasting for 2-3 days at a time.

After researching the detox/cleanse I found that it has the potential  (keyword!)

1) To cure my cravings: be gone caffeine and sugar demons!

2) Clean out my toxins: buh-bye Splenda stockpile and unwashed veggie pesticides

3) Reset my body: fingers-crossed the abundance of nutrients will help get my stomach on the digestive fast track!

I know these aren’t guaranteed results but I have high hopes!

So check back over the next three days for my take on the 3 Day Cleanse and to see if I actually had the willpower to make it through it.

Tags: cleanse, detox, juice

Google Maps can’t solve this…

Once you leave college, it’s common to not have a set direction – especially this day and age with the economy and all…Besides, who can choose a set path when life continually throws detours every couple of miles….or at least that’s the way I’ve felt these past few weeks…months…

Remember in high school when you choose a certain future career which in turn leads you to choose your prospective college degree, then your college, your post-college plans, and ultimately plan your life at age 16….Well I sure as heck did all that and my destined plan at 16 hasn’t turned out half that bad except ‘til now…

Not that I’m complaining in the least!  It’s not bad at all! I absolutely love my life, the people I’ve met, the experiences I’ve gained.  But life sure as heck gave me more than just a couple detours, I fee like life landed me flat in a round about and ever since I’ve been spinning trying to get out on the “right” path‘

So which road do I choose and how do I decide? My paths include Austin, New York, and Rochester…..warmth, family, and adventure…..

Should I follow my ol’ stand by…

BTW: This quote, to me, is NOT about following your heart, it’s about making a decision that one is wholeheartedly committed to, a decision one will not regret in the future, a choice with consequences one is fully aware and prepared to handle, a choice made with one’s head held high and a decision one can completely and fully support when faced with opposition.

Or…

Do I do I play it safe and make the “financially secure, I might not be 100% happy, but life isn’t half bad, give it some time it might improve but yea, it sure as heck will be difficult the next few months,” kind of decision?

Some of you might say, follow your gut instinct but I’ve got news for you…it’s not always right, you’re usually too paranoid, overly naïve, or maybe you just have a stomachache.  Check the article people.

I guess when it all comes down to it, I’m young and by nature, I’m more of a risk taker when it comes to life decisions (not when it comes to risking my life), and I feel that as each day passes my ability to navigate life without a set map is improving…I know I’ll manage just fine but it sure would be nice to have a road sign now to let me know I’m at least headed in the right direction….

Tags: austin, jobs, life, moving, Rochester